A Moment to Reflect

Recently, I’ve been reviewing some of our past blog posts. Coffee lovers can learn much from the info in there, each telling a wonderful story specific to its individual theme.
Reading through randomly selected content, I felt a quiet satisfaction with the messages being portrayed, as well as the over-arching theme that seemed to present itself through my reading.
Can you see what I saw as I went back in time through these snippets of our history?
How about this from Questing for the “god shot”? A god shot is attained when all the factors involved in making espresso — the water, the temperature, the tamp, the coffee, the pressure, and the person drinking the shot — are all perfect.
“What?” you ask. “The person is perfect?”
I mean everything comes together just right in that instant so the person drinking it can experience its perfection. If everything comes together ideally it might be a god shot for the next person in line, but if for some individual reason, the person getting that particular espresso can’t fully experience it – such as allergies causing a stuffy nose, or eating something before that doesn’t react well with the shot — the perfection is lost.
Or this from Develop a Coffee Ritual: Coffee is about the entire experience, not just the burst of energy you get from being caffeinated. The brewing method. The time dedicated to crafting your perfect cup. The flavors. The temperature. That first sip…
Whether you’re trying to be a little calmer on your morning commute or are enjoying a special roast you picked up, creating a coffee ritual makes you more mindful of each part of the experience and only heightens the taste of the brew. A well-roasted bean is just the first step.

And, finally, my examples from Mindful Tasting: Get More from Every Cup:
Happiness studies show that mindfulness, being in the moment, increases enjoyment — no matter what we’re being mindful of — and that when our minds wander, even while we’re doing something we love, it diminishes the experience.
When it comes to coffee, we tend to rush things, throwing it down our throats to get that precious caffeine pumping through our veins as quickly as possible. Like with any kind of meditation, practice makes truly losing yourself to the experience easier.
For example, the more practiced your taste buds are, the easier it is to:
• Identify flavor components
• Feel viscosity
• Be aware of lingering and changing characteristics
As you become more familiar with how to thoroughly taste your coffee (our classes and blogs can help) you achieve a greater depth of enjoyment in every sip of every delicious coffee you drink.
You’ll find it easier to identify the less-than-stellar coffees, too, in addition to really getting in touch with the elements you love.
Within these examples, we can find a few consistent themes.
Coffee is a flavor sport. Much like wine or exotic teas, coffee is very complex in both flavor and aroma. The quest for excellence and finding the perfect balance of terroir, variety, and roasting is my greatest joy as a roaster. I believe that flavor should be the most important consideration when selecting a coffee. That flavor consideration could very well be, “I’ve never had a coffee from that region, so I’ll try it.”
Also important is your ritual. This will enhance the mindful experience associated with your daily cup. Contemplate each step in your brewing process, mindfully experiencing the entire life of the cup. This is the path to fully appreciating your brew.
Then, finally, coffee is best shared. Whether it’s with a partner, friend or stranger, the joy of a well-roasted and brewed cup of coffee is enhanced. Sometimes losing yourself in your cup is the right place to be, but, for me, there is no greater joy than exploring a cup of coffee with someone else.